A motor vehicle passenger side airbag module customarily comprises a trough-shaped reaction canister having spaced sidewalls, a floor, and a pair of end plates. An inflator is mounted in the bottom of the canister. The folded airbag is also housed within the canister above the inflator. A suitable cover which may form a portion of the dashboard is adjacent the open mouth of the canister and is designed to break open under the influence of the expanding airbag.
Some such passenger side modules employ hybrid inflators. A typical hybrid inflator is a cylindrical pressure vessel approximately 2.4" in diameter having a length of 5-15". The gas discharge ports are located at one end of the inflator. Because the gas is discharged very rapidly and from only one end, the flow parallel to the axis of the inflator causes high reaction canister pressure at the end plates. This high pressure makes the inflator to canister mounting difficult. It typically requires a welding operation to minimize gas leakage and guarantee inflator retention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide means for retaining a hybrid inflator within the reaction canister without the need for a welding operation. Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.